Latch construction



Filed Feb. 4, 1944 Inn llmllllllllli I Patented Nov. 19, 1946 LATCH CONSTRUCTION Alvin F. Engeljohn, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Jack K. Dromgold, Chicago, Ill., and Howard A.

Glenn, Oak Park, Ill.

Application February 4, 1944, Serial No. 521,026

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to a latch construction.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved latch construction comprising a latch member which is invertible and designed so that it will properly engage a hook in either of its two positions so that the latch construction may be used either for a right-hand opening door or a left-hand opening door.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and claim.

In the drawing, in which an embodiment of my invention is shown,

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the keeper applied to the door of a car and the latch engaging the keeper and applied to the side of the car;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the construction of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section showing part of the side of a car and the two hinged doors opening in opposite directions, with the latch construction for latching the doors open; and

Fig. 4 is a detail of the keeper hook.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the construction shown comprises a hook-like keeper I which may be secured to the outer side of a swinging car door 2 and a latch 3 for cooperation with the keeper secured to the outer face of the side 4 of the car. This latch comprises a base 5 having a substantially flat surface for engaging the side I of the car, a pair of arms 6 extending forwardly from said base for receiving the keeper hook I therebetween, each arm 6 having a substantially vertical slot 8 therein, and a latch bolt 9 for engagement with the keeper hook I extending through said slots 8 and vertically slidable therein. The plane of the fiat surface which engages the side of the car is oblique to the plane of movement of the axis of the latch bolt 9 whereby the latch may be inverted so as 2 the under side of the vertically slidable latch bolt 9 and causes it to ride upwardly in the vertical slots 8 until the rear edge of the overhanging portion I I of the keeper has passed from underneath the sliding bolt 9. Thereupon the latch bolt drops down to the position shownin Fig. 2 to hold the door securely latched in open position. The overhanging portion II, as shown in Fig. 2, prevents the bolt 9 from flying upwardly, due to vibration when the latch is in latched position. The tip I2 of the keeper acts as a bumper by engaging the central portion I3 of the base 5.

Further modification will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A latch construction capable of latching in open position either a right-hand swinging door or a surfaces, a pair of horizontally spaced arms exto be useful for latching inopen position either I a right-hand opening door or a left-hand opening door as shown in Fig. 3.

In use, when the car door 2 is swung open, the sloping portion I0 of the keeper hook I engages tending forwardly from said base transversely of said flat surface for receiving a keeper therebetween, each arm having a substantially vertical slot therein, a horizontally extending latch bolt for engagement with a keeper hook extending through said slots and vertically slidable therein, and a keeper having a base having a flat surface for engaging the other vertical surface and having a retaining hook portion extending from said base for entering between said arms for engagement with said bolt and an inclined portion for engaging the bolt to raise it and allow it to drop for engagement with the hook, whereby the latch may be inverted, thereby enabling the bolt prior to latching to rest at one end of the slot for lifting engagement by the keeper when in one position and to rest at the other end of the slot for lifting engagement by the keeper when in inverted p0 1- ion.

ALVIN F. ENGELJOHN. 

